


A New Dawn

by egglover



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, i guess?? ?? i cant write hurt only comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-28 05:26:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10074143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/egglover/pseuds/egglover
Summary: Zenyatta thinks about his cherished student and learns a lesson in feelings.





	

**Author's Note:**

> the best meme of all time, my dudes, is love
> 
> this story has been told so many times but please bear with me  
> unbeta'd

Zenyatta had never thought of himself as being particularly greedy. In fact, he thought quite the opposite: as an omnic monk, he did not require much else but a power source and a place to hide from a rough weather. He didn’t take anything for granted; everything else he gained was a gift to be appreciated.  
  
Like the presence of his favourite student, Genji.  
  
Zenyatta had not been prepared for someone like him. The Shambali monastery did get their fair share of people (mostly omnics) seeking guidance, some even staying for several months before leaving with lighter hearts and fresher minds, but to Zenyatta nobody else was as fascinating and enthralling, as different as Genji.  
  
Sure, Genji’s story was unique to Zenyatta’s peers, too. They had never met anyone his kind, such an interesting mix between human and omnic and yet struggling to find balance between his two sides. Zenyatta, however, found himself to be captivated even beyond that.  
  
Zenyatta never wanted to be greedy, but for the first time in his life he found himself wishing something for his own.  
  
Of course, it didn’t happen overnight. At first, he noticed he had started looking forward to his lessons with Genji more than usual. Zenyatta greatly enjoyed all of his other classes, too, and he loved being able to share his wisdom with his other students, but something about Genji made him feel that extra bit of excitement. Just the thought of seeing him again the next afternoon had Zenyatta wishing the night could go by a bit faster. Then he began seeking for Genji’s company outside their sessions.  
  
Genji, somehow, wasn’t opposed to spending more time with his teacher. He was confused the first time Zenyatta had come to his door after their shared lesson, asking if he had forgotten that they had planned another lesson afterwards. When Zenyatta had corrected him and said that he simply had wished to see Genji once more before the night falls, Genji had sheepishly allowed Zenyatta to enter his room. Soon, their time together had grown from a few hours each afternoon to the better part of each day.  
  
Even with all their time together, Zenyatta kept thinking about Genji when he was alone. He thought about how much Genji’s state had improved, how much progress he had made. He thought about how Genji had finally started to laugh more freely and how the sound made his core feel fluttery. He thought about how Genji was one of the few people who seemed to understand his subtle humour, how he could be the cause of that wonderful sound.  
  
He thought about how mesmerizing Genji’s movement was, whether sparring or leaping across rooftops or just walking beside Zenyatta. How dazzling his form was, how pretty his lights were, how expressive and _beautiful_ his face was each rare time he had the privilege of seeing Genji without his mask on. How much trust Genji placed in Zenyatta.  
  
Zenyatta had never expected to fall in love. He had never thought he could – but, he thought to himself, if there was someone to make him fall, it would be Genji. Someone as extraordinary as he was would surely be able to make his own teacher learn new things.  
  
For a while, Zenyatta was astonished by his newfound feelings. He knew himself too well to deny their existence and each moment with Genji made him more sure that he was incorrigibly, deeply in love. He didn’t know if he was supposed to wish he wasn’t. No matter how great was his understanding of the universe, he felt unsure when it came to his own emotions.  
  
Then came the doubts. No matter how much he tried to avoid the negative feelings, he noticed that being in love with someone comes with heartache. Zenyatta didn’t want to ask for anything. How could he? He should be thinking about others first and himself second. For so long, he had been content living like that, only taking what was freely given, not desiring for anything more. And Genji did offer his time and company, closeness and even friendship, for which Zenyatta was more than grateful. But he couldn’t fully quiet the part of himself that wished for Genji to return his feelings.  
  
And sometimes when he couldn’t find rest at night, he thought about confessing his love to Genji. He didn’t get very far, for he knew that Genji was still very much human and while he seemed to be content here in Nepal for now, there would be a time when Genji would be ready to leave and live like he did before. Zenyatta knew that he could not offer what Genji wished for his partner. Even with feelings more human than he ever expected to have, he was still an omnic and what Genji would inevitably need in the future was a human by his side.  
  
Not to mention him being Genji’s master, even if Zenyatta’s lessons had been less about teaching Genji and more about them finding calmness in their surroundings and each other. And even if these things would by some miracle be insignificant to Genji, he might just not hold the same kind of feelings towards Zenyatta. Considering all this, Zenyatta thought that there’s only little chance of Genji being repelled by his love. He wasn’t risking it, though – if Genji could keep enjoying Zenyatta’s presence, he wouldn’t ask for anything more.  
  
In his darkest moments, Zenyatta thought about how different everything could be if he was born a human and not a machine.  
  
He still wished that he would just somehow be enough for the wonderful, breathtaking, exquisite Genji.  
  
When these thoughts started surfacing at daytime, Zenyatta felt more troubled than ever before. While Zenyatta had known love before, he hadn’t known that such a positive feeling could cause him to hurt this much. Looking at Genji guiding a group of interested humans through the monastery, Zenyatta couldn’t help but remember his thoughts about Genji leaving the mountains he still called home. Having the one he loved so close and not being able to do anything left Zenyatta aching, and yet, he only wanted to get closer.  
  
So he started initiating a bit more physical contact, carefully staying away from the line of too much touching. During meditation, he sat a bit closer, so that their knees would touch. A hand on Genji’s shoulder, gently guiding him as they walked. A gentle squeeze on his forearm, a comforting gesture when Genji told Zenyatta stories about him and his brother.  
  
Each touch had something in Zenyatta’s core fluttering. Genji didn’t seem to mind, and the best part was Genji beginning to do the same for Zenyatta. A warm hand softly rousing him from a deep meditation, standing close enough to touch when having a talk with the other monks. And Zenyatta poured all his love to his touches, secretly wishing that Genji would understand, that he would realise how Zenyatta felt without saying the words.  
  
At night, Zenyatta continued to feel restless. There had been many nights when he had given up on getting a full charge, opting to go and see the sunrise instead. And then – one morning – had Genji sitting at Zenyatta’s usual spot just moments before the sunrise.  
  
Startled, Zenyatta’s vocal processors let out a little gasp. Genji noticed and turned around.  
  
“Did you rest at all, Master?” Genji asked.  
  
“I found myself a bit fidgety tonight. Did you get any sleep, Genji?”  
  
“Not as much as I had hoped for,” Genji said, stretching his arms.  
  
“I see. Well then, why don’t we watch the sunrise together? If you’ll allow my company, of course.”  
  
“I always wish for your company, Master”, said Genji and patted the ground next to him. Zenyatta lowered himself next to Genji, knees lightly touching, feeling warm from his student’s words. Sensing something was off, Zenyatta turned to Genji.  
  
“Do you have something on your mind, my sparrow? Something you might want to talk about?” he asked.  
  
Genji sighed and carefully took Zenyatta's hand between his own. Zenyatta was stunned.  
  
“I was thinking about you”, said Genji, gazing at their hands. Zenyatta’s mind was racing.  
  
“The thoughts of me… did they keep you awake?” Zenyatta questioned, quietly.  
  
“I’m afraid so, Master”, Genji answered, not lifting his gaze. “Sometimes, when you think I’m not looking, you look like you’re in pain. Like there’s something weighing you down. Now that I know that you don’t get enough rest either… I am worried about you, Master. I wish I could help.”  
  
“Genji”, Zenyatta said, softly. “I am sorry to trouble you. I did not know that my problems would worry you so much that even your sleep would be disturbed. I will try to take care of this so you don’t have to worry anymore.”  
  
That made Genji lift his head.  
  
“But I want to help, Zenyatta!” he exclaimed, squeezing Zenyatta’s hand. “During my time here, you have helped me so much that I could never begin to even dream of thanking you enough. So please, let me do something for you. Please talk to me. Unless this is such a personal thing that you really wish to keep this to yourself, please let me help you.”  
  
Zenyatta was afraid. He really did want to keep his feelings to himself for a little longer, but something in the way Genji was holding his hand was making his resolve break. Zenyatta lifted his free hand, placed them on top of their joined hands and squeezed weakly.  
  
“Would you… Genji, would you find it distasteful if I told you I was in love with you?”  
  
Zenyatta felt Genji go entirely still. For several seconds, Zenyatta feared that he had made the biggest mistake of his life. Dejected, he began to pull his hands away, but stopped when Genji gripped tight.  
  
“Please tell me”, Genji breathed. “Tell me that you’re in love with me.”  
  
Zenyatta had no choice.  
  
“I am in love with you, Genji. I love you.”  
  
Genji threw himself at Zenyatta, making them hit the ground.  
  
“I love you too, Zenyatta. I have never loved anyone like I love you”, Genji said firmly, surely, and just like that, Zenyatta felt his soul soaring. He lifted his arms to hold Genji against his chest.  
  
“I feel the same, my dear. I’ve never been in love with anyone except you.”  
  
Genji took his faceplate off, revealing a sight more beautiful than anything Zenyatta had ever seen. His beloved student was wearing the brightest of smiles, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. Zenyatta moved to caress Genji’s cheek.  
  
“I was so afraid”, he murmured. “I never thought that the day would come when I could have you in my arms like this.”  
  
“You shouldn’t have worried”, said Genji, “I’ve had a silly crush on you ever since you wiped the floor with me the first time we sparred.”  
  
Zenyatta laughed as Genji hid his smile in the crook of Zenyatta’s neck. He felt lighter, more at peace than he had felt in a long time. And there, lying on the ground in the light of the rising sun, being embraced by his student nuzzling his faceplate, he realized: wanting something for himself sometimes isn’t such a bad thing. Especially if it could make him feel this happy. From this moment he decided to welcome each feeling he was to have, for they were all natural to humans and, apparently, omnics too.  
  
“I love you”, Zenyatta said, for that was the truth. Genji sighed, still softly smiling, and pressed a kiss to Zenyatta’s neck.  
  
The morning sun, Zenyatta mused, had never been quite this warm before.

**Author's Note:**

> (cascada voice) cause everytime we touch i feel the static
> 
> thank you for reading and making it through all the cheese and sap


End file.
